The BBC's search to uncover the best undiscovered musical talent in the world is returning this month.

The Next Big Thing 2007, on BBC World Service and BBC World television, is the second year for the show which looks for exciting new music, bands and performers who will shape the future.

This year, the under-18s restriction has been lifted - anyone can enter and it is completely free.

Last year's winner, Silva, went on to have a number one hit in her home country Armenia and played the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Entries came from thousands of musicians from over 40 countries.

This year, BBC World Service will be joined by BBC World Television in the search for the Next Big Thing.

All-star jury

Entries will be accepted through the BBC World Service site and a page on the social networking site MySpace.

The Next Big Thing will also be out on the road with local events in Mumbai in India, Kingston in Jamaica, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Istanbul in Turkey.

Head of the jury, music producer William Orbit, returns to judge the 2007 version.

The winner will play their song at the O2 Arena in December

Alongside him is a selected panel of international music experts including Caspar Llewellyn-Smith, editor of The Observer Music Monthly, Will Hodgkinson, music journalist for Mojo and The Guardian, and Paul Stokes, Features Editor of the New Musical Express.

The two essential rules are that artists must be unsigned and perform their own original material.

The closing date for entries is 18 November 2007.

Finalists will be brought to London to perform before an all-star jury in December.

The winning act will be crowned The Next Big Thing 2007 and will perform in front of a live audience of 3,000 people at London's O2 arena as part of the celebrations for BBC World Service's 75th Anniversary in December, alongside some of the big names in music.